Wichita eagle., 1887-09-14
THE PRETTY ORPHAN.

| 'iShe's a great deal too pretty" said
Mrs. Black, energetically twitching her
needle through the stocking she was darn
| ing
Mr.. Black looked puzzled. He was an
excellent business man, but he did not un-
| derstand the complication of domestic
| diplomacy.
"Well, my dear, that isn't her fault, is
its" said he.
'Her fault? Mol Who said it wass"
| snapped his wife. "You don't under
stand, Blackl'
''No, l suppose don't" he returned,
| meekly. "But 1 must confess think it's
| rather hard to turn the poor girl adrift,
after you have formally adopted her out
of the asylum. And she such a good girl,
| too.''
81 thought it would be SO nice to have a
| daughter" sighed Mrs. Black.
"And wasn't it nice?'
eyes, but never thought of her grow
ing up so pretty, and Frank falling in love
with her."
wouldn't she make good little wife
for Franks'
'sBlack, you talk like child. Our
boys must marry rich. And Lila must
go away!"
s'Where!''-
81 don't care; anywhere, so that she
will not be stumbling block in Franks
path. For have set my heart on Frank
marrying Priscilla Grant She has prop
erty-she will be suitable match.''
Eyes, but my DEAR" hesitated Mr..
Black, suppose your precautions come
too late' Suppose she has already learned
to care for Frank?'
"Then she must unlearn, that is ALL"
said Mrs. Black. sharply. ''Liie is nice
girl enough, but she must be taught to
know her place. l shall send her to Aunt
Agnew--she has written to me for some
sort of a companion, and think it is
likely that Lila will meet her wishes and
ideas. At all events she will be gotten
out of Franks way And Frank and Ed
ward must be our first consideration, you
know"
So Lila Redburn was called ina
dimpled, dark eyed girl, with coral red
lips and shy, bewitching way of looking
at you from under her long eyelashes, and
told without much unnecessary preamble
that she was to be transferred to the roof
of Miss Abigail Agnew, her adopted
fathers aunt.
She listened quietly; Lila was not one
of those who wear their hearts and tongues
upon their sleeves; but her poor little
heart sank down, down, like a lump of
lead in her bosom. And that night she
cried herself to sleep.
Miss Abigail Agnew was sitting In her
curious little room that evening when Lila
Redburn was announced. 1t was quaint
room, and Miss Agnew was quaint
woman, shriveled, ancient and bowed over,
with gold spectacleS cleaning before her
eyes, and priceless yellow lace, quilted
after an antique fashion, around her neck.
Come in, Lila, come in" said the old
lady. "You see 1 know your name.
Price," to the maid, "bring the tea and
toast. You can't eat anything? Pshaw,
you must eat I'm not one to be triled
with, and 1 say you must eat. What made
my niece, Black, send you away? Naughty
girl, eh?''
Lila colored scarlet and dropped her
lids before the sharp, jetty fire of the old
lady's eyes.
Il hope not, ma'am. tried to do my
best. II don't know exactly why she
sent me here
81 do, then" said Miss Agnew, pouring
the tea out Of chased silver teapot into q
china set as delicate and transparent as
gilded egg shells. ''You were too pretty,
my dear"
81, ma'am?'
But we won't discuss the question
any further, my dear" said the old
woman, ''drink your tea and go to bed.
Tomorrow we will commence our dutiesr'
Lila Redburn was very happy in her
new home. Miss Agnew was peculiar,
but there was kernel of real honest kind
ness beneath the dry and uninviting husk
of her outward manner, and Lila soon
contrived TO penetrate to it. Yet she
sighed often-and Miss Agnew knew that
she was not happy.
''Lilia," she said one day, suddenly,
'do you want to go back to my nephew |
Blacks; ~
Lila burst into tears, and made her
simple confession in one syllable.
"Yesr'
''Whys Tell me honestly and truly,
my darling" patting the blooming cheek |
with her withered hand. did you love |
Frank Blackf''
Frank? 0, Miss Agnew, no! wouldn't
care-only for Nedr'
"Ned, eh?'' said the old lady, scratching
her nose with the sticks of her pearl fan.
''Ned, L know, ought not to think Of
him." went on Lila, hiding her face on
Miss Abigails lap, because am only
poor orphan and his parents are proud and
of him, as it is right and natural
they should be. 1 don't complain; pray,
pray, dear Miss Agnew, don't think I'm
but it is hardp'
docs he love you, my DEAR"
''IIe never told me SO" faltered Lila,
l,oI; v,l ocIa
docs he love you, say?" reiterated
the old lady.
''Yes, think he does" confessed Lila.
''Well, it's a queer world we live in,"
said Miss Agnew, apparently addressing
herself to the parrot, when love can't
hold its own against money. Get your
hat, Lila, and we'll go for walk. l
can't stay in the house when I'm irritated
IN my mind"
Three days afterward Mrs. Black re-
,eived a short note from Miss Abigail
Agnew:
DEAR NIECE-You have not been to see
Lila since she came here. She is q good,
lffectionate girl, and 1 think she feels
FOUR neglect But l write particularly to
ay that | have concluded TO adopt
laughter Of my own and settle all my
little property upon her. cLittle proper
~ calculated Mrs. Black, with a con-
-ulsive gasp, and she is worth quarter
4 millionr) Ny lawyer thinks it Is
lue TO all my relatives to notify them OF
his fact, so no more st present from yours.
cry truly, ANN ABIGAIL AGNEw.
One minute Mrs. Black sat twisting the
ote around and around in her fingers,
Thile her husband drew long, low whis-
la-apd then she had resolved ,,r1nn her |
actics.